Irritation of the rectum.

A condition in which the rectum slips so that it protrudes from the anus.

A person who is significantly below the average height, possibly due to a disease or medical condition such as malnutrition.

The abnormal narrowing of a normal opening in the esophagus, intestines, or anus.

A test used to detect Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The test detects the presence of urease, an enzyme made by H. pylori.

What Is Chorea?

[dropcap]C horea is a movement disorder characterized by brief, jerky, purposeless or writhing involuntary movements of the distal limbs, head, and face that may occur during voluntary movement or at rest.

Chorea has a large number of causes, including metabolic, structural, pharmacologic, genetic, and autoimmune factors. Despite extensive investigations, many patients remain undiagnosed.¹

What Is Chorea In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

1. Walker RH. Further Evidence for Celiac Disease-associated Chorea. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y). 2011;1. pii: tre-01-32-96-3. [↩]

What Is Apathy?

[dropcap]A pathy is an abnormal emotional state that is characterized by indifference to things which others find interesting, moving or exciting, and diminished motivation to perform regular daily activities.

The neural mechanisms of apathy are postulated to involve the brainstem and forebrain circuits that regulate goal-directed behavior.¹

What Is Apathy In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

1. Marin RS. Apathy: Concept, Syndrome, Neural Mechanisms, and Treatment. Semin Clin Neuropsychiatry. 1996 Oct; 1(4):304-314. [↩]

What Is Non-Infectious Blepharitis?

[dropcap]N on-infectious blepharitis is an inflammatory condition of the eyelids that is NOT caused by an invading organism but rather nutritional deficiencies. It is characterized by non-ulcerative inflammation of the hair follicles and lacrimal glands along the eyelid edges.

Q: What  is the difference between inflammation and an invading organism which causes inflammation?

A: An invading organism such as Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria on the body’s surface, is called a stye. Styes are treated with antibiotics and resolve. Whereas, non-infectious blepharitis does not respond to antibiotics because there is no infection.

The eyelids are an important structural defense against infection and threats to the eye through blinking and tear production. Their continual pattern of blinking every few seconds sweeps away debris and keeps the eye moistened with tears.

Tears are made by the meibomian glands in the eyelids and consist of fatty acids, water and mucous and also contain anti-microbial substances.

Failure of the meibomian glands to function properly, called meibomian gland dysfunction or MGD, is a chronic, diffuse abnormality characterized by terminal duct obstruction (plugs) and/or changes in the amount or quality of the glandular secretion called meibom (tears). This may result in alteration and/or insufficiency of the tear film, symptoms of eye irritation, clinically apparent inflammation, and disease of the eye surface.

What Is Non-Infectious Blepharitis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Is Osteonecrosis?

[dropcap]O steonecrosis is a bone disorder resulting from insufficient blood flow to a part of the skeleton and is characterized by resulting death of bone cells (necrosis).

After a while the bone can collapse. If this condition is not treated, the joint will deteriorate and this will become severe arthritis.

It is most common in the hip and shoulder, but can affect other large joints such as knee, elbow, wrist and ankle.¹

What Is Osteonecrosis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004519/ [↩]

What Is Inflammatory Vaginitis?

[dropcap]I nflammatory vaginitis, also called desquamative inflammatory vaginitis, is a female genital disorder characterized by non-infectious tissue inflammation of the vagina (birth canal).

Inflammatory vaginitis presents in females of any age including girls with a history of discomfort, irritation, and in those who are sexually active, painful sexual intercourse. Patients may also report an increased vaginal discharge.

Q: How do the tissues appear?

A: Examination of the vulva is normal, but erythematous regions on the vaginal walls are evident with increased vaginal secretion. This secretion is high in polymorphonuclear leukocytes, with an increased number of immature squamous epithelial cells. Repeated cultures are negative for bacteria, viruses and yeast.¹

What Is Inflammatory Vaginitis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

1. Murphy R. Desquamative inflammatory vaginitis. Dermatol Ther. 2004;17(1):47-9. [↩]